System and method for providing the identification of geographically closest article dispensing machines
First Claim
1. A method of searching for media content using a metadata database in communication with a processor, the metadata database comprising metadata identifying media content available at a plurality of article dispensing machines, the method comprising:
- receiving a search request from a user operated device that includes a search criteria, the search criteria identifying one or more attributes for a requested media content, wherein the user operated device is not included in the plurality of article dispensing machines;
receiving device identifying information from the user operated device, the device identifying information comprising a MAC address or a digital certificate identifier of an audio/visual display interface;
determining a geographic location of the user operated device based, at least in part, on the device identifying information;
receiving a proximity limit that extends from the geographic location of the user operated device;
parsing the metadata database, and identifying a search set of article dispensing machines based on the parsing, wherein the search set of article dispensing machines includes a plurality of article dispensing machines within the proximity limit from the geographic location of the user operated device;
parsing the metadata database, and selecting selected media content satisfying at least one attribute from the search criteria based on the parsing;
generating a search result set comprising article dispensing machines from the search set of article dispensing machines identified as having available the selected media content;
when the search result set includes a plurality of the article dispensing machines;
ranking the plurality of article dispensing machines comprised in the search result set in order of distance from the geographic location of the user providing, to the user operated device; and
providing, to the user operated device, the search result set;
when the search result set does not include the plurality of the any article dispensing machines, providing, to the user operated device, matching media selections from one or more a la carte content providers identified as having available the selected media content.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of searching for physical media articles available from article dispensing machines within a geographic proximity is provided. Searching may include matching keywords in search criteria or using predefined search criteria for browsing of static or dynamic listings of media content. The method includes receiving a search request including search criteria, and searching the metadata database for a physical media article matching the search criteria. The method also includes determining the availability of the matching media article at an article dispensing machine. The geographic location of article dispensing machines with available matching media articles is determined, based on personally identifying information such as an IP or MAC address. The geographic location may be limited by a proximity from an audio/visual display interface. A search result set with the matching media articles is provided, based on their availabilities.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of searching for media content using a metadata database in communication with a processor, the metadata database comprising metadata identifying media content available at a plurality of article dispensing machines, the method comprising:
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receiving a search request from a user operated device that includes a search criteria, the search criteria identifying one or more attributes for a requested media content, wherein the user operated device is not included in the plurality of article dispensing machines; receiving device identifying information from the user operated device, the device identifying information comprising a MAC address or a digital certificate identifier of an audio/visual display interface; determining a geographic location of the user operated device based, at least in part, on the device identifying information; receiving a proximity limit that extends from the geographic location of the user operated device; parsing the metadata database, and identifying a search set of article dispensing machines based on the parsing, wherein the search set of article dispensing machines includes a plurality of article dispensing machines within the proximity limit from the geographic location of the user operated device; parsing the metadata database, and selecting selected media content satisfying at least one attribute from the search criteria based on the parsing; generating a search result set comprising article dispensing machines from the search set of article dispensing machines identified as having available the selected media content; when the search result set includes a plurality of the article dispensing machines; ranking the plurality of article dispensing machines comprised in the search result set in order of distance from the geographic location of the user providing, to the user operated device; and providing, to the user operated device, the search result set; when the search result set does not include the plurality of the any article dispensing machines, providing, to the user operated device, matching media selections from one or more a la carte content providers identified as having available the selected media content. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for searching for media content available at a plurality of article dispensing machines, the system comprising:
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a plurality of article dispensing machines; one or more databases, the one or more databases including a metadata database that comprises metadata of the media content, and an inventory database that comprises the availability of the media content at the plurality of article dispensing machines; a memory configured to store processor executable instructions; and a processor in communication with the memory, the one or more databases, and a user operated device, the processor configured to; receive a search request from the user operated device including a search criteria comprising one or more attributes for a requested media content, wherein the user operated device is not included in the plurality of article dispensing machines; receive device identifying information from the user operated device, the device identifying information comprising a MAC address or a digital certificate identifier of an audio/visual display interface; determine a geographic location of the user operated device based, at least in part, on the device identifying information; receive a proximity limit that extends from the geographic location of the user operated device; parse the metadata database and identify a search set of article dispensing machines based on the parsing, wherein the search set of article dispensing machines includes a plurality of article dispensing machines within the proximity limit from the geographic location of the user operated device; parse the metadata database, and select selected media content satisfying at least one attribute from the search criteria; generate a search result set comprising article dispensing machines from the search set of article dispensing machines identified as having available the selected media content; when the search result set includes a plurality of the article dispensing machines rank the plurality of article dispensing machines comprising the search result set in order of distance from the geographic location of the user operated device; and provide, to the user operated device, the search result set; when the search result set does not include the plurality of the any article dispensing machines, providing, to the user operated device, matching media selections from one or more a la carte content providers identified as having available the selected media content. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification